In place of traditional wedding gifts, we kindly request that guests consider making a donation to The Stroman Foundation. All contributions will directly support Altadena homeowners who have lost their residences as a result of the recent fires.
Rebuilding Altadena represents more than just physical reconstruction for Rashida; it’s about preserving a profound legacy of Black achievement and community resilience. The recent Eaton fire has been particularly devastating, destroying over 9,400 structures and claiming 17 lives. For those with deep roots in the community, like Rashida, the loss cuts especially deep.
Rashida’s family story mirrors the larger narrative of Altadena’s significance to the Black community. When her grandparents, Rush and Maude Miller, moved from Chicago in 1961, Altadena was still overwhelmingly (95%) white. Her grandmother’s service in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only Black US Women’s Army Corps unit sent overseas during World War II, exemplified the kind of pioneering spirit that would later help transform Altadena.
After living in Altadena for a few years, her grandparents moved to Pasadena, near the Altadena border. Their move to a larger home wasn’t just about space, it was a choice that embodied the neighborhood’s transformation into a safe haven. By opening their doors to foster Black children, Rashida’s grandparents became part of a growing community that offered both refuge and opportunity to families who had been shut out elsewhere. During the illegal and discriminatory practice of redlining, generations of Black families put down roots in Altadena where they could buy homes. Rashida’s father’s attendance at Muir High School was part of this integration story, as the area’s school district began desegregating almost 10 years before other LA County districts.
As Earthquake and Rashida join the effort to help those who lost their homes, they are participating in a long tradition of community support and resilience. This commitment to rebuilding isn’t just about restoring buildings, it’s about protecting a historic community that has served as a beacon of hope and progress for generations of Black families.
Rashida’s childhood friends who lost their homes are part of a community that has long been regarded as a safe haven and a symbol of prosperity. Their losses aren’t just personal tragedies, they’re wounds in the fabric of a community that has meant so much to so many generations. For Rashida, rebuilding Altadena means ensuring that the next generation can inherit the same sense of community, opportunity, and belonging that her grandparents helped create when they made their home here over 60 years ago.
